John E. Gustafson, born May 10, 1938, passed away in his sleep on March 16, 2010, at age 71. John was born in Southern California, and at age 20 he was married to Dorothy Pyle. John and Dorothy had three children, Craig, Gary and Kimberly. John followed the trade of his father, building homes. John and his family moved to Willard, Missouri in 1969, and he lived and built homes in the greater Springfield area for the last 40 years. John loved his family, and he had a passion for building. John was preceded in death by his beloved dog, Blue, and his parents Ernie and Lucille Gustafson. John is survived by his three children, eight grandchildren, his sister, Esther Horton, and brother-in-law, Dr. Daryl Horton. Graveside services will be held at 10:00 AM, Saturday, March 20, 2010 in Maple Park Cemetery under the direction of Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 PM, Friday in the funeral home.